Aerial bomb



M. E. BARKER Nov. 29, 1949 AERIAL BOMB Filed 0013. 18, 1940 FIG. 5

' INVENTOR MURZCE E BARE? ATTQRNEY Patented Nov. 29, 1949 eFFicE eaisasn new we jMaurice E; Barber, Washington Application Qctober is, 194e, Se-iii no. 35,656

. v 8'( 3lain 1s. (Cl. 102-6) Granted the act of March 3,1883; as

compounds of such nature that achemical or physical reaction takes place upon physical contact 'of the compounds. Upon impact of the bomb, communication is established between the compounds-wherebya reaction occurs and-the desired bur ning isiinitiated, or the gas, vapor or smoke is generated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drop bomb having adjacent chambers containing different compounds, withmeans actuated by the sudden decelerationof the bomb uponimpact to open-communication between. the chambers, and to initiate mixture of the compounds.

A further'object is'to provide means foripiercing the partition separating the two chambers upon impact, thereby bringing together the two reacting substances to generate the desired reacting product. i

A'further object is to provide substances in the two adjacent chambers which will mix and react on impact of the bomb to form a toxic vapor.

A. further object is to provide substancesin the'two adjacent chambers which willmix and react on impact of the bomb to form an inflammable vapor, with means also actuated by impact for igniting said inflammable vapor.

Various other objects of this invention will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated, as the description of the invention proceeds, reference being had to the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical section taken on a plane passing through the center of the bomb;

Figure 2 is a top plan View thereof;

' Figure 3 is a plan'view in detail of the weighted piercing mechanism;

Figure 4 is an elevation of one piercing prong, and 4a, a plan thereof;

Figure 5- is a modification of the. uppermost portion of the venting tube shown in Figure 1, where it is desired to ignite the gases. passing out'throughthe upper end of the ventingtube.

"Similar'num'erals refer to similar parts through-,

out the several views.

amended April 30, 1928; 370 (MG. 757) :=The bomb comprises a thin-wal1ed hollow cylinde'r- 2'; havinga rounded nose 3, and issep-. arated'into atlower portion 4 and an upper por-' tion 5: by aathin,v relatively easily pierced parti. tion .6 vented preferably substantially at the center. thereof. Positioned over andrising from the vented portion of partition 6 is a venting tube 'i,passing.preferablyaxially of the bomb and through the top of the bomb and opening into' the atmosphere-. The upper opening of the venting tube his normally 'closed by a piece of adhesive tape 9. v i

-islideably mounted :about the venting, tube 1, but normal y secured in fixed position thereto :by a-shear wired), is arelatively heavy block ti, from the-(bottom of which extend in spider-like arrangement downwardly curved legs l2, each terminating in a spearhead l3, having spearpoints l 4 1ShOWIi in detail in Figures 3, 4 andfiia. -Inthegmodiiication shown in Figure 5, means arerprov-ided; for-igniting inflammable vapors or gases passingupward through the venting tube I. :Said, igniting mechanismcomprises a sealed glassstnbe 15, carrying phosphorus therein and M1 normally supportedby a shear-pin, 16. securedto the tuber}; and stretching horizontally across the sameiisi a screenl l, which is sufficiently heavy to. withstand the impact of the falling glass tube Fins-l8 toguide the-bomb and cause nose impact are secured to the bomb 2 and tube I.

While Ihave. shown the venting tube substantially axially-located, this is a preferred embodiment and my invention is not intended to -be limited thereto. (Furthermore, for convenience,

I haveshown theupper compartment of the bomb. as containing liquid, and the lower compartment as containing-solid but I do not intend to be It is Within the limited byv this arrangement. scope ,of myinvention to have solids, liquids, or gases in ,either or both compartments. I

In operation the bomb is released from a height and falis-until'stopped by an obstruction such as the ground. -When the fall of the bomb isi so stopped theqinertia of the heavy block H shears thepin- Land: causes the prongs or spear points M to ,pierce'the thin partition 6. particular construction of the spearhead l3 and the spearpoints M, the partition 6 is ripped or torn at the point where it is pierced, so that the prongs .l {i occupy only a small portion of the punctures,,they.have created, thus assuring flow'of the contents of-the, upper compartment into the lower compartment 4.,

;; .The contents of the upper compartment 5,

Owing to the of gas through tube 1 and into the atmosphere until evolution of the gas in compartment 4 has ceased.

The gases thus evolved may belachrymatory or toxic, or a mixture thereof, or may be a fog or mist to screen from observation or interfere.

with accurate artillery fire.

The size and number of openings" pierced in partition 6 may of course be varied in'accor'dance with the desired rate of mixing of the compounds and the resultant generation of gas. Due to the generation of gas or vapor in chamber i, there will be no vacuum in chamber as the liquid flows out, since some of the gas will pass into chamber 5. The bomb is so designed that it will not plunge so deeply into the ground that the upper end of tube '1 will be closed. Even if the bomb falls on soft earth, the crater made will be sufficiently large in diameter that tube 1 will not be blocked.

One tactical use of this bomb is for locating targets for night bombing. One pilot familiar with the country and location of the target will fly over and drop a series of bombs of the burning type. These bombs can be dropped in a line leading to the target, to thus guide following pilots. Also, the guiding pilot may drop another line of bombs so that the intersection of the two lines defines the exact target.

Where an inflammable gas is being generated and it is desired to ignite it, I use the modification shown in Figure 5. Upon impact of the bomb with the earth or other object, the inertia of the glass tube l5 breaks the shear-pin it and the glass tube falls on to the screen H, where the glass is broken and the phosphorus, being released, is ignited by reason of the column of air initially in tube '1. ignites the inflammable gas flowing upward past it.

As an example of generating a toxic gas I put magnesium arsenide in the lower compartment 4 and dilute sulfuric acid in the upper compartment 5. Upon contact the two reagents will react to generate arsinev As an example of generating a combustible gas I put calcium carbide in the lower compartment and water in the upper compartment. Upon contact the two reagents will react to generate acetylene which may be ignited by the burning phosphorus, which has been ignited as described in the above discussion of the operation of the modification described in Figure 5.

This invention is not limited to the specific details set forth in the foregoing examples which should be construed as illustrative and not by way of limitation. It is desired that only such limitations be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims, since various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In an aerial bomb a body adapted to contain chemicals which when exposed to one another react to generate an inflammable gas, a partition Within said body normally retaining the chemicals separated, a gas passage extending from the par- The ignited phosphorus then tition and terminating exteriorly of the bomb body for conducting the gas generated by the reacting chemicals to the atmosphere, an ignition device arranged in the passage and operable upon impact of the bomb with an object to ignite the generated gas as it escapes through said passage, puncturing means shiftable lengthwise of the passage and constrained thereby in its movement into puncturing contact with said partition to expose the chemicals to' one another, and means normally retaining the puncturing means in fixed position remote from the partition and operable J upon impact of the bomb to release said puncturing means.

2. In an aerial bomb, a body provided with a partition and adapted to contain inflammable gas-producing chemicals normally separated from one another by; said partition, a tube for conveying the generated gas to the atmosphere extending from the partition and terminating exteriorly of the bomb, a puncturing instrumentality slidalble on the tube and movable therealong into piercing contact with the partition for establishing contact between the chemicals upon impact of the bomb with an object, and ignition means confined within the tube for igniting the gas as it escapes through the tube.

3. In an aerial bomb, a body adapted to contain inflammable gas-producing chemicals and provided with a partition for normally maintaining such chemicals incommunicate, a gas passage in the form of a tube extending through the bomb body from the partition and at one end opening into the body at one side of the partition and at an opposed end opening exteriorly of the body, a puncturing instrumentality normally stationary on the tube and slidable upon impact of the bomb with anobject along the tube for puncturing the partition to admit the chemical at one side of the partition to contact the chemical at the opposite side of said partition, and spontaneously combustible material confined in the tube for igniting the generated gas as the latter escapes through the passage provided by the tube.

4. In an aerial bomb, chemicals susceptible of generating an inflammable gas upon contact of one chemical with the other, a partition wall normally retaining the chemicals separated from one another and adapted to be punctured for admitting the chemical at one side of the partition to contact the chemical at the opposite side of said partition, a passage for the generated gas terminating exteriorly of the bomb, a partition-puncturing instrumentality associated with said passage and constrained thereby to shift in the direction of the partition for puncturing the latter, and an ignition device located within the passage; said puncturing instrumentality and ignition device respectively operable upon impact of the bomb with an object to respectively puncture the partition and to ignite the generated gas as the latter escapes through said passage.

5. In an aerial bomb, a body adapted to contain chemicals which when exposed to one another react to generate a gas, a partition in the body normally maintaining the chemicals incommunicate, a gas passage extending from the partition and terminating exteriorly of the bomb body for conducting the generated gas to the atmosphere, puncturing means shiftable lengthwise of the gas passage and guided thereby in its movement toward the partition for puncturing the latter, and means normally securing the 5 puncturing means in fixed position remote from the partition and operable upon impact of the bomb with an object to release said puncturing means.

6. In an aerial bomb, a body provided with a partition and adapted to contain gas-producing chemicals normally separated from one another by said partition, a tube for conveying the generated gas to the atmosphere extending from the partition and terminating exteriorly of the body, and a puncturing instrumentality slidably embracing the tube and movable therealong into piercing contact with the partition for establishing' contact between the chemicals.

7. An aerial bomb of the type containing 'chemicals which when-exposed to one another react to generate a gas, puncturable wall means, a passage for conducting the generated gas to the atmosphere, a quickly releasable wall-puncturing instrumentality operatively connected with the passage, and a frangible container having spontaneously combustible material sealed therein loosely confined Within said passage.

8. In an aerial bomb, a supply of chemicals which on contact react to generate an inflammable gas, means normally retaining the chemicals isolated from one another, a unitary assem- 6 bly embodying a tube for carrying off the inflammable gas, and a device supported by and movable relative to said tube to coact with the first named means for liberating and admitting to contact the said chemicals, and an igniting device confined within said tube for igniting the gas as it escapes through the tube.

MAURICE E. BARKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 305,881 Bachelder Sept. 30,1884 825,419 Rose July 10, 1906 981,069 Currell Jan. 10, 1911 1,174,925 Arndt Mar. 7, 1916 1,351,078 Walker Aug. 31, 1920 2,119,697 Anderson June 7, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 307,149 Germany Feb. 6, 1920 484,730 Great Britain May 10, 1938 

